Gift of Time
There is no love like a Mom's love. All you Moms out there know what I mean. It's just a feeling that you can't explain and a bond that is just so instant and strong. It's truly amazing. I feel like the retail/advertising/product world uses (or tries to use) that love against us. Especially at Christmas!
Think about it. When you find out you're pregnant for the first time, you're scared. You're excited, overwhelmed, nervous and naive. You start making a baby registry and probably look up all the ratings/feedback/comments on the products. If you don't use this car seat brand, you're baby is going to die in a car crash. If you don't breastfeed, you could cause development issues. If you don't use this brand of diapers, your baby is going to get diaper rash. If you don't have a monitor with a video, how are you going to know they're breathing? You have to have this and have to have that...or you're a horrible Mom or Dad.
It doesn't get any better as they get older. Everywhere you look, there are 5 and 6 year olds with iPads and cell phones. Blue ray players and flat screen TVs are a must. Not just regular TVs but 3D and HD TVsWhat if you can't afford it you ask? Just charge it to your credit card with everything else because your child has to have it or you're a horrible Mom or Dad.
We live In a world that has its priorities way out of order. People are spending more money and less time on their kids. Don't think these are major issues? Think again. Chip Ingram has a wonderful study on this issue...you should look it up if you have free time. The point is, material things do not matter.
When Colton was born, I was so bothered by the fact that I didn't have a cute nursery to bring him home to. We were living at my parents' house at the time and Colton didn't really have his own room. I was so upset and even ashamed of the fact he didn't have a room and I felt like it wasn't going to affect him somehow. Well, I assure you, he had no clue that he didn't have a rock star room. He knew he was fed, warm, clean and loved. Now that Colton does have his own room, I feel good about him having his own space but you know what? He still doesn't care!
I turned our spare room into a play room for Colton. It was really fun dragging out some of my old books and toys and decorating with my old bears and stuff. We had this old TV that I going to get rid of. when I say old, I mean my parents bought it back in like 1995. It's old. Well I decided to stick it in the play room with a VCR (gasp, yes...I have a VCR) so that Colton can watch old Disney movies and other old videos. Guess what? He loves it and has no clue that it isn't HD or flat screen or that Aladdin is playing through a VCR instead of a blue ray.
So who is all the material stuff really for anyway? The parents or the kids? Don't get me wrong, if you can afford for your child to have nice, new things I think that is awesome. I just think that those who can't afford it should stop feeling like they're doing something wrong or lacking somehow.
We are a family without a dishwasher, our refrigerator is from the 90's, we have no sitting furniture in our living room, we don't have Internet at home, we have one laptop from 2006 that is taped together with electrical tape and Colton does not have a TV in his room (we don't either for that matter). You know what? I'm the happiest I've ever been. I have a healthy baby who loves to play. I have a hardworking husband who provides all we need. I have a supportive family who has our backs no matter what and I have a warm house and good food in my belly. I'm done trying to live up to the "standard" of society. If little Miss Miley Cyrus is any indication of what I'm missing out on in society, I consider myself extra blessed.
So if you're like me and you're tired of reading all these ads/posts/updates/blogs about the perfect Christmas gifts...you're not alone. Time is worth more than anything you can purchase with money. So this Christmas, give the gift of time!
Think about it. When you find out you're pregnant for the first time, you're scared. You're excited, overwhelmed, nervous and naive. You start making a baby registry and probably look up all the ratings/feedback/comments on the products. If you don't use this car seat brand, you're baby is going to die in a car crash. If you don't breastfeed, you could cause development issues. If you don't use this brand of diapers, your baby is going to get diaper rash. If you don't have a monitor with a video, how are you going to know they're breathing? You have to have this and have to have that...or you're a horrible Mom or Dad.
It doesn't get any better as they get older. Everywhere you look, there are 5 and 6 year olds with iPads and cell phones. Blue ray players and flat screen TVs are a must. Not just regular TVs but 3D and HD TVsWhat if you can't afford it you ask? Just charge it to your credit card with everything else because your child has to have it or you're a horrible Mom or Dad.
We live In a world that has its priorities way out of order. People are spending more money and less time on their kids. Don't think these are major issues? Think again. Chip Ingram has a wonderful study on this issue...you should look it up if you have free time. The point is, material things do not matter.
When Colton was born, I was so bothered by the fact that I didn't have a cute nursery to bring him home to. We were living at my parents' house at the time and Colton didn't really have his own room. I was so upset and even ashamed of the fact he didn't have a room and I felt like it wasn't going to affect him somehow. Well, I assure you, he had no clue that he didn't have a rock star room. He knew he was fed, warm, clean and loved. Now that Colton does have his own room, I feel good about him having his own space but you know what? He still doesn't care!
I turned our spare room into a play room for Colton. It was really fun dragging out some of my old books and toys and decorating with my old bears and stuff. We had this old TV that I going to get rid of. when I say old, I mean my parents bought it back in like 1995. It's old. Well I decided to stick it in the play room with a VCR (gasp, yes...I have a VCR) so that Colton can watch old Disney movies and other old videos. Guess what? He loves it and has no clue that it isn't HD or flat screen or that Aladdin is playing through a VCR instead of a blue ray.
So who is all the material stuff really for anyway? The parents or the kids? Don't get me wrong, if you can afford for your child to have nice, new things I think that is awesome. I just think that those who can't afford it should stop feeling like they're doing something wrong or lacking somehow.
We are a family without a dishwasher, our refrigerator is from the 90's, we have no sitting furniture in our living room, we don't have Internet at home, we have one laptop from 2006 that is taped together with electrical tape and Colton does not have a TV in his room (we don't either for that matter). You know what? I'm the happiest I've ever been. I have a healthy baby who loves to play. I have a hardworking husband who provides all we need. I have a supportive family who has our backs no matter what and I have a warm house and good food in my belly. I'm done trying to live up to the "standard" of society. If little Miss Miley Cyrus is any indication of what I'm missing out on in society, I consider myself extra blessed.
So if you're like me and you're tired of reading all these ads/posts/updates/blogs about the perfect Christmas gifts...you're not alone. Time is worth more than anything you can purchase with money. So this Christmas, give the gift of time!
Comments
Post a Comment